Jaguar confirms production of fastest-ever model

VEHICLE manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed it is to build a special edition of its new F-Type sports car to commemorate the 60th anniversary of one of its spiritual forebears.

The new F-Type Project 7, getting its public debut at today’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, is one of the first projects to be developed by JLR’s new West Midlands-based Special Operations division.

The new car is being launched now to mark the 60th anniversary of the launch of the Jaguar D-type racer (below), a car which has influenced sports car design since the 1950s.

JLR said Project 7 would be the most performance-focused derivative of the acclaimed F-Type range and would be Jaguar’s fastest and most powerful production model to date.

The car will be produced in a limited batch of 250 units and each will be hand-built by engineers at the new Special Operations division. No pricing details have been released.

The new SO Technical Centre, staffed by 150 highly skilled engineers, will have unique facilities featuring a customer-commissioning suite for bespoke services and premium vehicle personalisation, Formula 1-inspired flexible workshops and a fully automated paint facility.

In addition, a new heritage vehicle workshop will be created at Browns Lane in Coventry, the spiritual home of Jaguar. This will be the production site for the six recently announced lightweight E-Type recreations and will also allow the newly formed heritage team to expand its servicing and restoration services. The newly expanded heritage business will be open from August 1.

The new car is said to be a fully road-legal two-seater roadster and true to the design ethos of the Project 7 concept unveiled in 2013 – which paid homage to Jaguar’s seven Le Mans wins – including the distinctive D-type-inspired fairing.

Tony Rolt in first D-type; 1954 Le Mans Test XKD401 The 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine will generate 575PS and 680Nm of torque. It will be capable of reaching 60mph in 3.8-seconds, the performance aided by bespoke carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids and a unique suspension.

First customer deliveries are expected to begin from mid-2015. It will be made available to buyers in the EU as well as South Africa, Australia, MENA, Russia, Brazil, Asia Pacific regions and North America.

John Edwards, managing director, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, said: “Special Operations exists to develop a suite of products and services that enable our most discerning and enthusiastic customers to indulge their passion for our cars. F-Type Project 7 is a perfect example of one such product. It’s the most powerful production Jaguar ever built, and pays homage to Jaguar’s seven outright Le Mans victories with distinctive design cues inspired by the Jaguar D-type which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.”

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